Pressing element for pressing machines



Feb. 11, 1936. c; w JOHNSON 2,030,596

PRESSING ELEMENT FOR PRESSING MACHINES Filed Oct. 1'7. 1933III-II."IIIIIII'IIIIIIII'IIIIIII'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlllllllllll'llIllllllllll :Hmr Mpumuam)? I IE 2 5 I z I///IIIIIIIIIIIIIII,IIIIII/IIIII[III{IIIIII/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/IIIIIIIIII/IIIIIIIIIIIIIII/IIYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'IIIIIIIIII////I fiatenteci Feb. 1 1 193d UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE PRESSINGELEMENT FOR PRESSING MACHINES Application October 17, 1933, Serial No.693,958

'7 Claims.

-"Ihis invention relates to a pressing element for pressing machines,and particularlyone which is expansible by fluid pressure to apply heavypressure after the press is closed.

An object of my invention is to provide an expansible pressing elementwhich will equalize the pressure about the edges of the element.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a pressing element ofthis type which does not require a diaphgram of large area;

Another object of the invention isto provide an expansible element whichwill be economical in the use of fluid pressure.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingspecification, together with the drawing, and the essential features ofmy invention are summarized. in the claims.

In the drawing Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are elevations, generally in section,showing three modifications r of my invention as applied to a pressingbed;

illustrated mechanism for so moving the pressing members as many sucharrangements are well known in the art and form no part of the presentinvention.

One or both of a pair of pressing members is usually provided with ayielding surface, such as spring padding or the like, to enable thepressing bed to better accommodate itself to seams, buttons and otherslight unevenness in the work. However, there is sometimes a greatervariation in thickness between the ends or sides of a garment for whichthe yielding padding will not compensate. Also, when the heavy pressureis applied through rigid arms it is diftlcult to distribute the pressureevenly over the surface of the pressing members. My improved elementapplies final pressure by means of fluid introduced into an expansiblemember. The fluid permits the pressing member to accommodate itself tovariations in work thickness and insures even distribution of pressureover the entire pressing surface.

Expansible pressing members involving large diaphragm or bag-likemembers are to be avoided as they are expensive to construct andmaintain.

My invention comprises in general a pressing element having two rigidportions spaced apart and movable toward'and away from each other. Fluidpressure is introduced into the intermediate space to expand the elementand sealing means is provided about the peripheries of the rigidportionsto prevent leakage of the fluid medium.

Figs. 1 and 2 are similar in that each shows a pressing bed having abase portion Ill supported on members II, and a movable portion I2 onwhich is arranged a yielding padding comprising springs I3 and a fabriccovering I4 which is held taut by carding wire strips I5.

In Fig. 1 the base portion has upstanding edge flanges I6, about theperiphery of which are suitably secured vertically spaced yieldingstrips or cushions I'Iand I8. These strips are preferably made of rubberhaving soft and yielding qualities. A substantially horizontal flange I9extends outwardly from the periphery of movable portion I 2 in positionto lie between cushions I1 and I8. Preferably the flange I9 is at alltimes in contact with cushions I? and I8. A conduit 2| serves to conductfluid pressurefrom a source not shown to the space 22 between the baseand movable portions of the pressing element.

Upon introduction of sufficient fluid pressure to space 22 the portionIE will move upward to apply ironing pressure between the pressingmembers. The cushioning and sealing strips I1 and I8 are madesufliciently deep and resilient to permit the vertical movement offlange I9 necessary to supply final pressure to the pressing members,while at all times sealing space 22 against leakage.

The construction in Fig. 2 is similar to that of Fig. 1 except that themovable portion I2 has a downwardly extending flange 23 about itsperiphery, which is horizontally spaced from an upstanding flange 24,which extends about the periphery of the base portion II]. An endlessflexible sealing strip 25 is suitably secured between flanges 23 and 24and effectively prevents any loss of fluid, while permitting relativemovement of the upper and lower portions of the pressing element towardand away from each other. This expansion of the pressing element iscontrolled by fluid pressure introduced by conduit 2| into space 22. a

The pressing members of Figs. 1 and 2 are wasteful of fluid pressure inthat the entire chamber 22 must be filled to create heavy pressure.Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a modification in which fluid pressure isconserved bybeing confined in a tubular member extending about theperiphery of the movable portion. To expand the pressing member thistube only need be supplied with fluid pressure.

Fig. 3 shows a pressing bed having a base portion 26 supported onmembers 21. The base portion has upstanding edge flanges 28 shaped tosupport a flexible tube 29 which is connected by a conduit 39 with asuitable source of fluid pressure. A movable portion 3| is provided witha downwardly extending flange 32 which has a trough-shaped edge 33to'overlie and conform to the shape of tube 29. The portion 3| isprovided with a grille 34 which supports a perforated plate 35 spacedfrom the bottom 36 to form a drainage chamber 37 which communicates withone or more suitably-located drains 38. -Wherethe drain passes throughthe base portion 25 it is provided with a suitable bearing 39 to permitdrain 38 to slide upwardly and downwardly as the -pressing memberexpands and contracts. -Surmounting the perforated plate 35 are springs40 supporting a fabric cover 4! Moisture from the press ing operationthus passes through'cover M and perforations of plate 35 into-chamber 31and drains away through conduit 38.

The drainage conduit 38 may serve the additional purpose of maintainingregistration between portionsZE and 3l as the-pressing element expandsand contracts. To this end drain 38 may be made sufficiently strong andrigidly secured to portion 3!.

The expansion of the-pressingmember or Fig.

3 is controlled by the admission of fluid to tube 29 and it will beapparentthatpressure will be evenly distributed about the-periphery ofmovable portion 3i.

The modification of Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3 and represents myinvention asapplied to a pressing head. A chest 42 is suitably suspendedfrom a head support 43 as by means of a stud 44. A spring 45, confinedbetween the head 46 of stud 44 and the head support, serves to biaschest 42 in an upward direction. A rigid frame 41 'may be retained inalignment with-chest 42 by stud 44 or otherwise. Coacting trough members48 and as are secured to the-frame ll and chest 42 respectively. Betweenthe trough members is a tube 5% which confines fluid pressure suppliedthereto through conduit 5| from a source not shown. If chest 42 isheated the tube 51] is protected from direct transmission of heat byheat insulators 52 between trough members 48 or 49 and the tube 58. Asuitable coacting bed 53'is supported on member 54.

In operation, chest 42 and bed 53 are locked in engagement and heavypressure is applied by admitting fluid pressure to tube '50 to expandit. This pressure will be distributed evenly about the periphery ofchest42. Upon deflation of the tube spring 45 will move chest 42 toward thehead support 43 to separate the pressing members.

What I claim is:

. 1. A pressing element comprising, a fixed por tion,. a movableportion, said movable portion having a pressing bed and a drainage spaceheneath said bed, means for trapping fluid pressure between saidportions to control the movement of said movable portion, said meansbeing engageable with said portions and expansible in a direction normalthereto,.and a drainage conduit passing through said fixed portion andcom municating with said drainage space, said drainage conduit having arigid connection with said movable portion and a bearing in said fixedportion, whereby said conduit serves to maintain substantialregistrationbetween said portions.

2. .A pressing element comprising rigid portions arranged for relativemovement toward and away from each other, a tubular member supportingone portion at its periphery only on the other portion, said tubularmember being expansible in a direction normal to said portions.

3. A pressing element comprising 'a-rigid support for a pressingsurface, a base-member, a tubular member :between and 'engag'eable withsaid base member and support and --positioned solely'atthe peripheryofsaid support,- said tubular member being expansible inia directionnormalto the general plane ofsaid pressing surface, and fluid means forexpanding said -tubu1ar member.

4. A pressing element comprising, a pair 'of rigid frames separated by atubular member, said member being expansible by fluid pressure in adirection substantially normal to the general 'planeof said frames, saidmember birfgp'o'sb tioned adjacent the periphery only-of-one ofes'aidframes, and'yielding means urging said frame's toward each other.

5. A pressing element comprising, 'a pair of heated rigid framesseparated by a ubular- -memb er, said member -beingexpansibie "flui surein a direction substantially normal tothe general plane of saidframes,-heat ;insu1ating members -between said tubular n'iember arid s'aidframes, and fluid means for expanding #said tubular member.

6. A pressing element comprising 'a 'rig'id support for a pressingsurface,-a base membenhollow means between and engageable With-said basemember and support and positioned-solely at the periphery of saidsupport, sai'd h'oliow means being expansible in a direction normal'tothe general plane of said Epre'ssing 'sul'face, rand meansfor supplyingmotive fluid to-saidhoilow means.

7. A pressing element comprising rigid portions arranged for relativemovement toward *andaway 'from each other,-one of. saidportionstsupporting a pressing surface,'a tubularmember-supportingoneportion on'the otherrportion withthe axis ofthetubular'member lying in a plane parallelito the pressing surface, andsaid tubular memb'er being expansible in a directionnormal =ton th'eGEORGE 'W. JOHNSQN.

